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- Tim
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Custom Modes:
In a recent thread about the A1 dial functions, I was surprised to see how few people actually use the Custom modes on their cameras. I have found it to be a tremendous advantage to recall specific settings that I use at the track. I can fully understand if you're shooting street, photography, car shows, etc., but I would've thought that BIFers would program and use them quite a bit.
For the most part I shoot in M, and just make whatever adjustments are necessary for the circumstance/shot. When I go to the track though, I have specific settings that I use. These aren't anything odd or atypical, tracking, single, burst hi...etc. etc. ad-nauseum. The advantage is I can just turn the mode dial to C1 and everything is exactly the same as it was last time I was there. I still shoot in M and adjust as necessary, but all of the ancillary settings are there, and I don't have to concern myself with them.
At first I tried to come up with three different custom modes for different scenarios. Ultimately, I realized that I really only need the one.
Custom Hold:
The second part of this is Custom Hold. This is a very cool feature that doesn't get a lot of airplay, and I don't understand why. I had seen the titles in the menu but never really knew what they did. I need to thank @Kevriano for suggesting I give them a look. Essentially, it allows you to program a complete set of parameters to a button. The button acts as a momentary, not a latch. That is to say, it works as long as you hold the button down.
This is beyond programming a custom mode on the dial or a custom key to call up a specific setting. Custom Hold allows you to override the camera's current settings momentarily for a different situation by holding the button, and then return to your previous settings by releasing the button. I believe this feature is on all Sony cameras from the A9 to now.
The settings that are available to program for Custom Hold include:
I also have a Custom Hold set up for fast action shots, which is how I imagine someone would use it while out for a walk. You're in the woods taking flowers or landscapes or whatever, and a bird flies through, or a deer takes off. By having this programmed you can be instantly ready for the shot.
So, who uses Custom Modes? Who uses Custom Hold? I set the poll up so you can give 2 answers so that people who didn't know what Custom Hold is can include it in their response. Poll is private.
In a recent thread about the A1 dial functions, I was surprised to see how few people actually use the Custom modes on their cameras. I have found it to be a tremendous advantage to recall specific settings that I use at the track. I can fully understand if you're shooting street, photography, car shows, etc., but I would've thought that BIFers would program and use them quite a bit.
For the most part I shoot in M, and just make whatever adjustments are necessary for the circumstance/shot. When I go to the track though, I have specific settings that I use. These aren't anything odd or atypical, tracking, single, burst hi...etc. etc. ad-nauseum. The advantage is I can just turn the mode dial to C1 and everything is exactly the same as it was last time I was there. I still shoot in M and adjust as necessary, but all of the ancillary settings are there, and I don't have to concern myself with them.
At first I tried to come up with three different custom modes for different scenarios. Ultimately, I realized that I really only need the one.
Custom Hold:
The second part of this is Custom Hold. This is a very cool feature that doesn't get a lot of airplay, and I don't understand why. I had seen the titles in the menu but never really knew what they did. I need to thank @Kevriano for suggesting I give them a look. Essentially, it allows you to program a complete set of parameters to a button. The button acts as a momentary, not a latch. That is to say, it works as long as you hold the button down.
This is beyond programming a custom mode on the dial or a custom key to call up a specific setting. Custom Hold allows you to override the camera's current settings momentarily for a different situation by holding the button, and then return to your previous settings by releasing the button. I believe this feature is on all Sony cameras from the A9 to now.
The settings that are available to program for Custom Hold include:
- Shoot mode
- Aperture
- Shutter speed
- Drive mode
- Compensation
- ISO
- Metering Mode
- Focus Mode
- Focus Area
- AF Tracking sensitivity
- AF on
I also have a Custom Hold set up for fast action shots, which is how I imagine someone would use it while out for a walk. You're in the woods taking flowers or landscapes or whatever, and a bird flies through, or a deer takes off. By having this programmed you can be instantly ready for the shot.
So, who uses Custom Modes? Who uses Custom Hold? I set the poll up so you can give 2 answers so that people who didn't know what Custom Hold is can include it in their response. Poll is private.